This Application claims the benefit of French Patent Application No. 01 403 393.0, filed on Dec. 31, 2001, in the names of Thierry L. A. Dannoux, Jean-Pierre Lereboullet, Ramain Ramel and Xavier Tellier, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention is related generally to high density array (xe2x80x9cHDAxe2x80x9d) inking and printing and, more particularly, to a flexible HDA print head with systems for HDA pin plate alignment with respect to a reservoir for performing inking operations and systems for substrate alignment with respect to an HDA pin plate for performing printing operations.
HDAs of DNA or Oligonucleotides have many applications in the biological fields such as genetic research or diagnostic purposes. Conventional HDAs may have well over hundreds or thousands of different compounds (e.g., DNA, oligonucleotides, proteins, etc.) typically deposited on the surface of a substrate (e.g., a glass slide) in an array configuration.
Performing HDA inking and printing operations require a conventional HDA print head and its components to perform many repeatable motions, typically in the range of several million with a traveling distance in the range of 2 to 5 mm. A desirable range of accuracy and repeatability for conventional HDA print heads and their components should be within the range of +/xe2x88x922 xcexcm. In addition, the movements of the conventional HDA print head and its components should ideally be smooth. Utilizing precision ball raceways in a conventional HDA print head to attempt achieving such accuracy and repeatability is not a viable solution due to the prospective effects of local wear and brinelling.
Some conventional HDA print heads, such as a compound double bridge print head mechanism, have attempted to address the above-noted issues. However, these conventional HDA print heads are heavy and often involve a complex and costly manufacturing process. Moreover, their heavy weight may make them difficult to use. Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional HDA print head mechanism 10 having a conventional flexure 12 is shown. One of the disadvantages of the conventional HDA print head mechanism 10 includes having a large orthogonal displacement xcex94, where xcex94=1(1-cos xcex1) and h=1 (sin xcex1). Having a large orthogonal displacement xcex94 increases the likelihood that a conventional HDA pin plate (not illustrated) situated within the conventional HDA print head mechanism 10 will become misaligned with respect to a conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 or a printing substrate (not illustrated) while inking and printing operations are performed. Such misalignments may damage the HDA print head mechanism 10, conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 or the printing substrate.
Referring to FIG. 2, a conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 and conventional HDA pin plate 16 are illustrated. Conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 includes conventional capillaries 18 having openings thereto on the conventional HDA reservoir top surface 15 facing conventional HDA pin plate 16. Conventional HDA pin plate 14 includes conventional pins 20 arranged in a pattern, which enter conventional capillaries 18 to pick up liquid materials 22 to subsequently transfer to a printing substrate (not illustrated).
Referring to FIGS. 3-5, an inking and a printing operation using conventional HDA pin plate 16 for transferring liquid materials 22 from conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 to a slide 24 will be described. The inking and printing operations ought to be performed within a short period of time of each other. Referring to FIG. 3, an inking operation includes using conventional HDA pin plate 16 to pick up liquid materials 22 from conventional HDA reservoir structure 14. Each of the conventional pins 20 must be positioned initially over a center of an opening of each conventional capillary 14. Achieving precise transfers of liquid materials 22 from conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 to each conventional pin 20 requires moving and/or positioning conventional HDA pin plate 16 to achieve and maintain a parallel orientation with respect to conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 throughout the inking operation.
It is important that conventional HDA pin plate 16 achieves and maintains a parallel alignment with respect to conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 because the internal linings or walls of the conventional capillaries 18 are typically thin, varying in thickness from 25 to 30 xcexcm. A misalignment during an inking operation could cause conventional pins 20 to come into contact with the internal linings or walls of the conventional capillaries 18 and damage the conventional pins 20 and/or conventional capillaries 18, potentially costing thousands of dollars to replace. Conventional HDA pin plate 16 is lowered towards conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 until each conventional pin 20 enters its corresponding conventional capillary 18 and contacts liquid materials 22 held therein. Once each conventional pin 20 makes contact with liquid materials 22, conventional HDA pin plate 16 is retracted upwards and away from conventional HDA reservoir structure 14, and a reproducible portion of liquid material 22 is collected by each conventional pin 20.
Referring to FIG. 4, a printing operation includes using conventional HDA pin plate 16 to transfer liquid materials 22 to slide 24. Conventional HDA pin plate 16 is lowered until each conventional pin 20 is close enough for the liquid materials 22 to make contact with slide 24. Conventional HDA pin plate 16 must achieve and maintain a parallel alignment with respect to slide 24 throughout the printing operation to avoid damage, since the conventional pins 20 must not make direct contact with slide 24. Slides 24 are manufactured out of a glass material approximately 1 mm thick. A misalignment could cause some of the conventional pins 20 to come into contact with slide 24 before other conventional pins 20 are close enough to deposit liquid materials 22, resulting in damaging conventional pins 20. Further, remnants of damaged conventional pins 20 could contaminate the liquid materials 22 and damage the internal linings or walls of the conventional capillaries 18 during subsequent inking operations. Again, the damage could result in costing thousands of dollars since the liquid materials 22 are often expensive. Once all the liquid materials 22 are transferred to slide 24, conventional HDA pin plate 16 is retracted upwards away from slide 24.
Previously, a manual, five-axis and one radial micromanipulation has been needed to align conventional HDA pin plates 16 with respect to conventional HDA reservoir structures 14 to perform accurate and precise inking and printing operations and to avoid the types of damage mentioned above. To perform such a micromanipulation, conventional HDA pin plate 16 and conventional HDA reservoir structure 14 are situated within a conventional print head such as the conventional HDA print head mechanism 10 mentioned above with respect to FIG. 1. Such a conventional print head secures the conventional HDA reservoir structure 14, and eventually the slide 24, to allow the conventional HDA pin plate 16 to be moved and/or positioned during the micromanipulation before performing inking and printing operations.
Referring to FIG. 5, micromanipulation for alignment purposes involves moving and/or positioning conventional HDA pin plate 16 along the X and Y axis and the xcex8 radius to achieve planar superposition with respect to the conventional HDA reservoir structure 14. The conventional HDA pin plate 16 is moved and/or positioned in the direction of the xcex1 and xcex2 axis to achieve spatial orientation with respect to conventional HDA reservoir structure 14. To determine whether conventional HDA pin plate 16 is oriented parallel with respect to conventional HDA reservoir structure 14, conventional HDA pin plate 16 may be visually observed to determine whether each conventional pin 20 has entered each corresponding conventional capillary 18 of conventional HDA reservoir structure 14. Referring back to FIG. 3, the micromanipulation with regard to the X and Y axis and the xcex8 radius is accomplished by observing the crossed stages of the X and Y axis and the xcex8 radius with respect to each conventional pin 20 and the meniscus level of liquid materials 22 present in each conventional capillary 18, assuming conventional pins 20 are at least partially transparent.
The micromanipulation with regard to the xcex1 and xcex2 axis can be very difficult to perform since it often undermines the micromanipulation with regard to the X and Y axis and the xcex8 radius, as well as for other reasons. For instance, each time an inking and printing operation is performed, conventional HDA pin plate 16 must be replaced in the conventional print head by a fresh conventional HDA pin plate 16. Thus, several conventional HDA pin plates 16 are typically prepared prior to performing inking and printing operations, depending upon the number of slides 24 expected to be printed on, requiring the above-described micromanipulation to be performed for each one. Moreover, performing the above-described micromanipulation process typically takes at least one hour per conventional HDA pin plate 16. Further, the removal and installation of conventional HDA pin plates 16 from conventional print heads often require special tools. Therefore, it is rather time consuming and difficult to install and remove conventional HDA pin plates 16 from conventional print heads. Moreover, aligning conventional HDA pin plates 16 with respect to conventional HDA reservoir structures 14 is also time consuming and tedious.
Furthermore, conventional HDA pin plates 16 are vulnerable to damage resulting from misalignments during the inking and/or printing operations as mentioned above. Thus, additional conventional HDA pin plates 16 are typically prepared prior to performing inking and printing operations since it would be undesirable to halt operation of the conventional pin heads for the at least one hour needed to prepare a replacement conventional HDA pin plate 16 by performing a tedious micromanipulation each time a conventional HDA pin plate 16 was damaged. Typically, at least ten more additional conventional HDA pin plates 16 than are actually needed are prepared prior to performing inking and printing operations.
A method for aligning a pin plate with respect to a reservoir in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes several steps. The method includes providing the pin plate with a plurality of object receptacles on its surface and placing a plurality of objects on the reservoir""s top surface facing the pin plate. The pin plate is positioned with respect to the reservoir such that each of the objects is located at least partially within one of the object cavities. Once the pin plate is aligned with respect to the reservoir, the pin plate is secured to a supporting assembly.
An alignment system for a pin plate in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes a pin plate base having a plurality of object receptacles on its surface, a reservoir having a plurality of cells each having an opening on the top surface of the reservoir facing the pin plate and a plurality of objects located on the reservoir""s top surface. The alignment system also includes a micromanipulator that positions the pin plate with respect to the reservoir such that each of the objects is located at least partially within one of the object cavities.
A pin plate for printing high density arrays in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes a pin plate base with at least one surface, a plurality of first extensions projecting away from the surface of the pin plate base and a plurality of object receptacles on the pin plate base""s surface.
A method of manufacturing a pin plate for printing high density arrays in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes forming a plurality of first extensions that project away from the surface of a pin plate base and forming a plurality of object receptacles on the pin plate base""s surface.
A reservoir for use in printing high density arrays in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes a reservoir structure with at least one surface, a plurality of cells that extend through the reservoir structure to openings along a surface of the reservoir structure and a plurality of objects on the reservoir structure""s surface.
A method of manufacturing a self aligning reservoir for printing high density arrays in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes several steps. In particular, the method includes providing a reservoir structure with a plurality of cells that extend through the reservoir structure to openings along a surface of the reservoir structure.
A flexible print head system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes a flexure, a print head and a plurality of flexible members connecting at least one elongated member to the flexure and to the print head, where the flexible members are machined off-axis causing the print head to move a substantially equal distance along a Z axis to perform either an inking or a printing operation.
A pin plate assembly capable of maintaining alignment with respect to a printing substrate in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes a pin plate connected to a pin plate support, where the pin plate support is removably connected to a flexure and detaches from the flexure during a printing operation when the printing substrate contacts the pin plate and forces the pin plate upwards along a Z axis.
A system for aligning a substrate in a printing device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes a mirror assembly having a mirror connected to a top surface of a plurality of objects attached to a top surface of a reservoir structure, where the objects were used for aligning a pin plate, a substrate securing system that holds a substrate in a fixed position within the printing device, a laser system that generates a first laser beam and a second laser beam, the first laser beam reflecting off the mirror towards a non-reflective surface to create a reference point on the surface, and the second laser beam reflecting off the substrate towards the surface, the mirror being replaced by the substrate after the first laser beam is generated, and a substrate orientation system that adjusts the orientation of the substrate until the second laser beam converges upon the reference point on the surface.
A method for aligning a substrate in a printing device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention includes several steps. In particular, the method includes placing a mirror on a top surface of a plurality of objects attached to a top surface of a reservoir structure, where the objects were used for aligning a pin plate, reflecting a first laser beam off the mirror towards a non-reflective surface to create a reference point on the surface, replacing the mirror with the substrate, reflecting a second laser beam off the substrate towards the surface, and adjusting the orientation of the substrate until the second laser beam converges upon the reference point on the surface.
One of the advantages of the present invention is that pin plates can be accurately, economically and swiftly aligned with reservoir structures arranged within print head mechanisms prior to performing printing and inking operations. Moreover, the present invention is easily used and maintained while not requiring that a complex and tedious micromanipulation of each axis individually to align pin plates with reservoir structures.
An additional advantage of the present invention is that the flexible print head mechanism is able to withstand many repeatable motions while maintaining a high degree of accuracy and repeatability along with a smooth operation. Moreover, the flexible print head mechanism has the additional advantage of having a reduced orthogonal displacement xcex94 without increasing the mechanism""s weight and cost or requiring a complex assembly process. Furthermore, an additional advantage of the present invention is that the flexible print head mechanism""s components bear relatively equal stress levels throughout inking and printing operations so as to reduce the overall stress level on the components.
Yet another advantage of the present invention is a detachable pin plate assembly that allows a pin plate to adapt its orientation during a printing operation to ensure that the pin plate remains aligned with a substrate being printed on throughout the operation. Moreover, substrates being printed on are held in a proper position by a vacuum bridge. In addition, another advantage is a pin plate assembly that is easily removable from a print head mechanism.